


Writing is Rewriting: Life is Strange Before The Storm

by manband20



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, F/F, F/M, Love, Love/Hate, Manipulative Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:15:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27792127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manband20/pseuds/manband20
Summary: In a story of love, hate, manipulation, greed, loyalty, and betrayal, Chloe Price and Rachel Amber's relationship is fleshed out and analyzed in a world where hearts are broken, a corrupted soul is allowed to fester and feed on everything around it, and the "good guys" aren't as they seem.
Relationships: Chloe Price & Joyce Price, David Madsen & Chloe Price, Maxine "Max" Caulfield & Chloe Price, Rachel Amber/Chloe Price, Rachel Amber/Frank Bowers, Rachel Amber/Mark Jefferson, Rachel Amber/Nathan Prescott, Victoria Chase & Chloe Price
Comments: 7
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter Zero: DISCLAIMER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introduction.

**DISCLAIMER**

Hello. My name is manband20 and I will be attempting to rewrite the stories of various forms of media in a way that fixes what I consider to be a major fault with the writing that ultimately damages what could be (in my personal opinion) a great story.

In my first attempt: **LIFE IS STRANGE: BEFORE THE STORM**. 

Admittedly, I do not like these games. I have many, _many_ issues with the story of Max and Chloe, their characterization, and the way their relationship is handled throughout the main game as well as the prequel.

Which is why I want to do it better.

If anyone actually reads this, consider this your disclaimer going into my rewrite. I’ll be doing it in prose instead of a screenplay style that I am more accustomed to (mainly to work on my prose writing but also because reading a screenplay can be weird for people not familiar with it) and intend to have it be a handful of chapters per “Episode.”

I intend to keep to a set of rules over the course of my rewrite:

\- Keeping base characters unless they serve no purpose in my plot line (and in this case, doing some cuts…)

\- Try not to add new characters, unless the need is absolutely grave

\- Keep existing relationships

\- Characters from LiS 1 can and will appear

Like I said, I don’t like this game for a myriad of reasons.

BUT

There is a great story here that just needs some polishing.

If you are a fan of the base game and don’t want to see things drastically changed, I wouldn’t read this rewrite. I’m going in from a cynical perspective that hates 90% of what is presented in the game and intend to burn it all down and remake it from the ashes. I will be ruining the way characters are perceived by the reader and shown in the light I would have presented them had I been the lead writer of the game. And people are going to get hurt. Bad.

If you’re still interested, hope you enjoy and any comments or advice would be happily accepted and well received! I’ve never done this before so I have no idea what I’m doing, save what I have done before.


	2. Chapter One: SATIN

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A red dress catches the eye of our heroes.

**SATIN**

Her breath was caught in her throat as she eyed the dress on the mannequin before her. Blood red. A white sash cutting across the waist. It practically shone in the beam of the spotlight blaring down from on the ceiling. Though only for show, she could feel the light burning her back as she inspected the magnificence of the design. Beads of sweat began to form on her shoulders and the small of her back.

_She is going to look so perfect in this_ , she thought to herself as her fingers glided across the satin.

All she could envision was seeing the girl of her dreams stepping out of that dressing room so all the world could see her beauty. The gleam of her hair reflecting back the artificial light. Her steps, each prouder than the last, as she strides out to the viewing area. But she saw an innocence about her that only she could see. One that the world was blind to. Where the world saw perfection, she saw sadness. A sweet sadness.

A longing for more…

Chloe’s train of thought was broken as soon as she saw the price tag hanging lazily from the display model. She hadn’t seen that many zeros since she and her mother sat down for a _Price Is Right_ marathon on the last snow day of the previous academic year. The thought of anyone _buying_ a piece of fabric this expensive made her stomach turn.

“We have it in Sizes 0-10.”

Chloe turned and saw a saleswoman hanging up shirts on a rack nearby. It only took one glance at her dark brown eyes to see that she wasn’t actually expecting _this_ kind of girl to buy a dress of this quality. Her current attire had more holes than she could keep track off, both by design and from overuse. She had finally dyed the left side of her hair a bright shade of orange like she had been dreaming of for months. She had multiple piercings in her ears. Her shirt bore the logo of a band she couldn’t dream of this woman actually knowing, let alone listening to in her free time when she wasn’t being held at gunpoint.

_Sorry, Betsy, it’s not for me._

“No, thanks. Just looking.”

The saleswoman names Betsy gave a simple nod. “Well, if you want to try one on, we have them over by the fitting rooms.” She turned and went back to her duties without paying the girl another glance.

Chloe felt her stomach tensing up even harder. She had never actually done this before. Was Betsy going to watch her for the rest of the day? Did she actually manage to blow it before-

A gentle tug at her shirt brought her back to reality and nearly gave her a heart attack.

“You have good tastes.” A familiar voice, smooth as the satin dress, whispered in her ear with a chuckle. “Let’s take a walk around.”

Chloe didn’t even bother trying to object. Wherever Rachel went, she would follow.

Rachel led her on down the aisles of various types of shirts, dresses, jackets, coats, and everything else one could imagine at a department store. Their little hick town didn’t have any stores comparable to this one and the nearly hour long drive was worth the trip. Rachel said she had been here a few times before to scope the place out on the ride over.

“And you’re sure we won’t get caught,” Chloe asked after turning down the radio a bit.

“I mean, we might.” Sensing this wasn’t the best response based on Chloe’s face turning as frightened as a rabbit, she laughed. “Have you _never_ stolen anything before?”

“I’ve stolen a lot, for your information!”

“Oh, really?”

“Lipstick. A CD. Gum-”

“Aren’t you the little felon?”

Chloe blushed. She knew she was just doing petty theft and made sure that it was only from stores that could afford to lose something as simple as a tube of lipstick or a few sticks of Trident. But this… this was like going from the minors to the big leagues…

As they walked along the back wall, Chloe found herself constantly looking over the racks to see if anyone was watching. The thought of Betsy standing over them as Rachel shoved the dress into her backpack made her feel ill.

“Chloe. We’re not robbing a bank. Relax.”

Chloe felt the urge to smack her with a purse that was hanging from a display.

“I can’t relax!” She realized she was nearly shouting and dropped her voice to a whisper. “What if we get caught?”

“If we get caught, we get caught,” Rachel nonchalantly replied. “What’s life without a little risk? It’s not like they can’t just get another from some sweatshop in Malaysia for literal pennies. Do you know who makes those dresses? _Children_. Isn’t it disgusting?”

_She does have a point…_

One day over ice cream, Chloe had confided in Rachel that she felt bad about all makeup more than likely was tested on animals, regardless of what the label says. Ever since, Rachel had made her mission to do extensive research on anything they bought together so they knew for absolute certainty whether it was made in a sweatshop or was tested on animals or was raised with hormones or GMOs. Chloe had been surprised that she took such an interest in it so quickly and even wondered if it was just some joke, but Rachel was sincere. She really seemed to have a future in activism ahead of her if she put her mind to it.

When the topic of the dress came up as they ate lunch in Rachel’s dorm, Chloe asked why she wanted to buy it so badly if she knows it was made by some starving Asian children who would only earn about a dollar for a hard day’s work.

“Because it looks pretty and I’m not going to pay for it.”

Her bluntness was matched only by her flair for the dramatic.

Before she knew it, she was standing before the racks containing the dresses, each more beautiful than the last. The mere sight of them was enough to bring a tear to her eye. She quickly looked around to see if someone was looking while Rachel checked the sizes.

“Come on, come on… there we go. Thank God.” She took the only dress that would fit her and inspected it. “If we’d come all this way for nothing, I’d be pissed.”

Rachel led the way to the fitting rooms, Chloe again in tow, her mind racing.

Chloe wasn’t sure how she felt about being the “lookout” for their little heist, or how she had gotten talked into doing it in the first place, but here she was standing watch outside while Rachel stuffed a dress into her backpack and prayed to God security wasn’t watching them like hawks.

In the meantime, she walked over to inspect a rack of t-shirts when none other than Betsy herself walked over with some shirts that needed folding. She gave Chloe a courteous smile and went about her business at the little kiosk.

Chloe’s heart sank as the realization hit her that she wasn’t going away anytime soon. Shetried to walk away as casually as possible as she could before taking out her phone and typing out a text so fast, it hurt her thumbs.

**C: EMERGENCY BETSY IS HERE AND SHE ISNT LEAVING**

**R: WHO??**

**C: EMPLOYEE. AT THE KIOSK**

**R: WHEN I COME BACK OUT GO IN AND TAKE MY BACKPACK**

**C: OKAY JUST HURRY IM FREAKING OUT**

**R: BE OUT IN A SEC. CHILL. PLEASE.**

Though repeated calls for her to relax were the most surefire way to annoy her, Chloe felt a sense of relief wash over her. She felt like Rachel of all people knew what she was doing. After all, she was somewhat of an expert at this kind of thing…

The door to the fitting room swung open softly and Rachel stepped out with the dress flowing out of her hands. She looked at Chloe from the entranceway to the fitting rooms, terrified.

“Did you bring my purse,” she called out, her voice shaking.

“You’re… no, I thought you had it.”

Rachel hung her head. “Shit…”

She looked around for something, anything. Her eyes landed on Betsy, who glanced up in the middle of folding to see what the fuss was about. Rachel hurried over to her, the dress light as air in her arms. As soon as the woman’s vision was obscured by Rachel, Chloe crept over to the fitting rooms. The echo of their conversation bounced off the white and blue walls of the fitting room Rachel had been in only seconds prior.

“Ma’am, I’m so _so_ sorry, but I think I left my purse in the car. Is there any way at all that you can hold this for me until we get it? This is the only size that fits me and I don’t want someone to take it before I get back.”

Rachel sounded more sad than a puppy who lost its bone. Chloe couldn’t help but be impressed as she took the backpack and slung it around her arms.

“It’s really no trouble, miss,” Betsy said with an almost-pitiful laugh. “I doubt anyone will take this specific dress if you aren’t back in five minutes.”

As quietly as she had entered, Chloe stepped back out and turned her back to the clothing displays so the backpack couldn’t be seen.

“You don’t understand,” Rachel went on, “I’ve been in here _three times_ and I couldn’t find this to save my life and my aunt’s wedding is on Monday and if I don’t have this-”

Betsy smiles warmly. “Honey. It’s okay. It’ll be here when you get back.”

Rachel beamed at her. Chloe could barely contain a grin of her own.

“Thank you! You’re wonderful!”

With that, Rachel turned to look for Chloe. Seeing the straps around her shoulders, she smirked and hurried over. As they walked away into the aisles together, Rachel turned and gave a final “Thank you again, we’ll be right back!” before they picked up the pace.

The march across the store was like walking through No Man’s Land. Chloe felt like she was going to step on a landmine at any moment. Her heart was fluttering and her breathing was labored. She could only picture how angry Betsy will be when she corners them at the doors and demands that they open the backpack and turn over what they stole. How betrayed she would be that such a sweet girl would lie to her…

And then they were back out in the parking lot with nothing in sight to stop them. Chloe didn’t even remember the walk out of the store or the march through the interior of the mall. She felt as though she had just been activated from autopilot. Like she was just awakened from a coma. It was only the feeling of Rachel’s hand gently grasping hers that brought her back to reality. When Chloe really took in her surroundings and looked at her partner in crime, she saw the mischievous grin plastered on her face.

“And that, Chloe Price, is how you steal a dress.”


	3. Chapter Two: RAZOR

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes struggle with their current reality and make plans for the future.

**RAZOR**

As the smog filled her throat and floated down into her lungs, it felt like a million little razors were slashing at her windpipe as she inhaled. Every breath was more painful than the last, but Chloe endured it. She just wondered how people could get addicted to these things, though she felt the same when Rachel brought a bottle of vodka to the junkyard and insisted they get hammered.

Rachel, meanwhile, looked like angelic sprawled across the hood of the truck, the evening sun setting behind her. She took short, measured drags from her cigarette. Chloe was surprised she smoked in the first place, but tried her best to keep up with her. In this case, however, it was a losing battle as she had to stop and cough every couple drags.

They sat in silence in the little parking lot overlooking the sea. Chloe never really took the time to admire nature as she spent most of her free time on campus with Rachel or at home with her mother. She couldn’t help but feel breathless watching the waves crash into the rocks while the sun changed the sky from to a mixture of orange and yellow and red and purple.

Besides going on hikes with her father, she was never much of the nature type. Rachel, meanwhile, was the polar opposite. Every week, she seemed to have some other campaign she was roping strangers around campus into joining. A “Save The Beach Walk” to clean up pollution on the shoreline, a “End Deforestation in Oregon” petition that garnered over two hundred supporters in less than three days, and who could forget the infamous “March For The Whales” campaign where Rachel single-handedly stopped their Congressman from supporting an initiative to deregulate whaling by marching straight into his town hall, debating him in front of everyone in town, and defeating him easily because he was just some corporate puppet.

The Congressman later lost to a local small business owner and left Congress in disgrace.

Chloe watched from her little spot on the ground as Rachel soaked in the sun. Rachel said she didn’t chain-smoke or anything so Chloe couldn’t fault her for it. She said she only smoked at parties, which was something Chloe strangely found to be very sophisticated.

Rachel later said she stole that line from a book.

“Lemme see the dress again,” Rachel said, the cigarette casually hanging from her pursed lips. Chloe coughed a couple times as she reached into the truck to retrieve the dress.

The sun did a much better job of showing the beauty of the dress than any spotlight could dream off. Rachel tossed her cigarette butt onto the pavement before taking the satin gown from her best friend. She sat in silence, drinking in the scarlet. She was as awestruck as Chloe was.

“I think we had a good day,” she said with a grin.

“I believe we had a great day,” Chloe countered as she tossed away her half-smoked cigarette when Rachel wasn’t looking.

Rachel cocked her head as a thought formed in her mind. “We should just camp out here tonight.”

“As fun as that would be, we gotta get back to campus.” As much as Chloe wanted to stay out all night, sit out under the stars, and forget the world for just one night, she couldn’t afford to miss another day of class this week.

Rachel loudly sighed as she fell back onto the hood of the truck. Hard. The dress engulfed her small frame and she lie motionless.

“You’re no fun.”

Chloe chuckled and got back into the driver’s seat.

Rachel was in no hurry to get up.

“Let’s go!”

No response.

Chloe put the key in the ignition and started the engine. It roared and a small cloud of smog shot out of the muffler and filled the air with a grey cloud of toxins.

“I’m backing up now!”

No response.

Chloe shrugged and put it in reverse. She slowly began to pull out of the parking space.

Rachel lunged to her feet, nearly rolling off of the hood as she jumped off.

“GAH! I’m up! I’m up! Wait!”

The passenger’s side door opened and Rachel lunged inside with the dress curled in her arms, gasping for breath. Chloe couldn’t help but laugh her ass off.

“Holy shit… do that again and I’ll kill you.”

Chloe stared at her in horror.

Then they both laughed. Hard.

The truck pulled out of the little parking lot and pulled back onto the interstate, the metal song playing over the radio echoing through the otherwise silent Oregon coastline. Birds took to the sky as the rusty old truck sped back to their normal lives.

Only one red light separated the girls from their return to Blackwell. Thankfully for Chloe, it seemed to be taking forever to turn. She felt absolutely no desire to return to her humdrum life in this one-horse town, even if it was the only home she’d ever known.

A _buzz_ in her pocket brought her back to reality. She looked at the clock on the dashboard, it read 9:32. She winced when she realized how late they were getting back. Much as Rachel didn’t seem to mind being out so late as it kept her away from school for a little while, Chloe had to return to her family.

Rachel had surprised Chloe when she informed her that she would be staying on campus this semester rather than staying at home with her parents. Apparently her parents were having some issues that she didn’t want to go into detail on. Chloe didn’t mind. Her dad kinda freaked her out, being the District Attorney and all.

The light finally turned green. Chloe lazily drove forward and pulled into the parking lot of the “prestigious” Blackwell Academy. Only a handful of cars filled the lot so Chloe had no problem getting to her usual spot (the one far away from the main buildings) and shutting the engine down when she finished her half-assed park job.

Neither of them made any effort to move. They simply sat in silence, watching the moonlight fading into the dark forest that surrounded the school. Chloe wondered what or who would be out there this time of night. Her thoughts of returning home filled her with a deep sense of dread. She knew a shouting match was coming of not returning her mother’s calls.

The silence was broken with a soft sigh from Rachel, who shook her head.

“I hate it here.”

Chloe nodded, though she knew Rachel wasn’t looking. “I know.”

“It’s just so boring! Today was the most fun I’ve had in weeks.”

“Wasn’t playing frisbee on the beach the highlight of your month,” Chloe asked with a sarcastic grin.

Rachel turned to her, unamused. “It sucked because it was here.”

That hurt Chloe a little because she had a lot of fun that day. She might be annoyed with half the people who go to this school simply because they’re rich, entitled art students who would rather talk your ear off about photography or drawing than a concert setlist or literally anything else besides art, but she was glad to spend the day with Rachel and just have fun.

Rachel seemed to sense what she had said had hurt her.

“It isn’t your fault,” she assured her. “It’s just this place… Shit, it’s killing me! I feel like very single time we take a drive to a beach or to the mall or go into the woods for a walk is just the feeling after you bang your knee on the corner of a table or step on a piece of broken glass. It doesn’t hurt for that moment or two, but then the pain comes rushing in and that’s all your life is until the next moment of numbness.”

Chloe knew what she meant. Too well. She remembered that moment so vividly that it physically pained her. That moment of ignorance and confusion before reality settled in her mind and she realized the world she was living in was true.

“I know. It’s not your fault.”

“No, it _is_ my fault,” Rachel went on. “I’m supposed to be the one with some big, bright future ahead of me and I’m stuck _here_?! I’m supposed to be the “future of America” and am supposed to inherit the world our parents helped make and I’m doing it from a campus full of entitled assholes? Fuck that!”

Rachel punched the door with the side of her fist. She immediately regretted her outburst and curled up in a ball in the seat, her face buried in her hands. Chloe could hear her friend softly weeping into arms and felt the urge to just hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay.

Before she could so much as lift her arm, Rachel sat back up, tears streaming down her face. “You know what I want to do,” she announced. “I want to go to the woods and just walk around and get lost in nature and forget about life.”

She turned to her best friend, determination in her eyes.

“Do you want to go with me tomorrow?”

Even though she had homework and an incoming fight with her mom to deal with before even thinking of her future plans, Chloe nodded without hesitation. She knew she had to do whatever it took to make her friend feel better. Even if she was about to be grounded, she would just sneak out. Whatever it takes.

“I’ll text you when I’m not busy,” Rachel said. She seemed to notice Chloe was upset and calmed down a bit. “I’m sorry. I’m just… dealing with a lot right now…”

“It’s not your fault.” Chloe tried to sound a bit more convincing this time around. She didn’t blame her for being mad or asking to hang out again. She wanted to get away from her normal life as much as Rachel. Any chance she got was very deeply accepted.

“Still though, I feel like I’m being pushy,” she said, her voice cracking. Tears welled up in her eyes again.

Chloe reached over to hold her hand, her wrist brushing by the soft satin that Rachel seemed to be holding tight like a security blanket. Rachel was initially surprised, but quickly held tight onto Chloe’s hand, drinking in the reassurance.

“You’re not. I promise. I just want you to be happy.”

Rachel’s smile made Chloe’s heart dance.

They sat in pure silence for a solid minute, simply smiling and telekinetically assuring the other that it would all be okay. Neither seemed to want to break the moment. The only thing that could break up their moment of peace was another _buzz_ from the phone in Chloe’s pocket. Another call she was ignoring.

And just like that, their moment was over and Chloe felt cold and alone again.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Rachel said with a soft smile, the tears still waiting to flow in her eyes.

Chloe gave her hand a squeeze and watched helplessly as she exited the truck and walked through the dimly lit black parking lot and slowly up the stairs to the school. Chloe gently punched the steering wheel, wishing she could go back just a few hours to when life had some semblance of happiness and meaning.

The truck came to life and pulled out of the parking lot. Chloe began mentally preparing herself for whatever was to come. A quick glance down at the clock revealed they had spent almost a half-hour sitting together in the school’s parking lot. Though it only felt like a few minutes, Chloe wasn’t shocked. Her perception of time seemed to be diminishing as of late. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion, but at the same time the days seemed shorter and shorter as her life passed her by.

It was nearly 10:30 when she stood at her front door, key in hand. She didn’t have the heart to unlock it, knowing what was waiting for her on the other side. Visions of that night played over and over in her head every time she had to come back home.

After a few deep breaths, she finally summoned the strength to open the door and face whatever was going to happen next. As soon as she opened it, light poured out from inside, momentarily blinding her. It filled the darkened streets behind her. She was engulfed in a yellow glow from her home that should have made her feel warm and safe.

All it did was serve as a reminder that she had an entire night before she feel an ounce of happiness again when she would next get to see Rachel.


	4. Chapter Three: SCREAM

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe prepares herself for the inevitable fight with her mother.

**SCREAM**

It was so stereotypical, it could be a movie.

Her. Just sitting there in the chair. Watching the embers of what had been a roaring fire only a few hours ago. An opened bottle of wine on the table, at least three glasses in. It was a Saturday, well… almost Sunday now… so nobody had to worry about her getting drunk and missing work the next day or showing up hungover to flip burgers and deal with douchebag truck drivers asking for another cup of coffee after staring at her ass or smug teens who reeked of the weed they smoked in the car before coming in for a bite to eat.

The smug teen was right here, but she only smelled like stale cigarettes.

Joyce lazily turned in her seat when she heard the footsteps echoing through the otherwise quiet living room/dining room mixture. She wasn’t surprised to see Chloe here so late, Chloe knew that. She’d stayed out much later than this in the past. Joyce choosing to stay up and wait for her was new, however. Chloe couldn’t place the last time she had done this.

That was how she knew she was in some serious shit.

“Nice of you to join us.” Joyce wasn’t angry, to Chloe’s surprise. Not bitter or sarcastic or even monotoned. More like callused. Like whatever pain and anger she was holding onto for hours had fizzled out like the fire before her. Like she couldn’t maintain that level of frustration for hours on end that it just faded into nothing. Now only… this remained. Whatever it what.

“I lost track of time.” Chloe regretted the lie as it began to escape her lips. She knew her mother would see right through it. It was as clear as a ziplock bag.

Joyce simply scoffed and took another sip of wine.

“I’m serious! I was out with Rachel and-”

“Rachel…” Joyce shook her head as she stared into the fireplace.

That was when Chloe realized what she was hearing. It wasn’t anger. Or bitterness. Or sarcasm. Contempt. Fury. Sadness. All the emotions her mother had been laying into her with for the past year to try to get her to listen that had failed miserably, all gone.

It was exhaustion.

“I’m going to assume you and Rachel weren’t doing studying for your biology test on Monday.” Joyce wasn’t asking a question. She didn’t have to. No point in wasting precious oxygen on something she already knew.

“No.”

“Or organizing some food drive for hurricane victims or collecting coats for the homeless in Portland for when the winter comes or-”

“We went to the mall.”

Joyce shook her head again and finished off her drink. She finally turned, but not to so much as look at Chloe. She filled up the glass nearly to the brim with a dark red that reminded Chloe of the bottle she had stolen with Max and spilled all over the rug.

_God, Max, why couldn’t it have been you I snuck out with. She would understand…_

“You went to the mall.” Joyce nodded her head to herself as the words replayed in her mind over and over and over again. Chloe knew she was just stalling to decide her next move so she acted first.

“Rachel wanted to get a dress for Homecoming. She found this really great one and insisted I come along so I could tell her what I thought.”

“She insisted.” Joyce finished off whatever wine was in the bottle and placed it back down on the table with a gentle thud.

“Yeah.”

_Shit._

“Do me a favor,” Joyce said. “Walk over to the calendar and tell me what it says.”

“Mom-”

Joyce finally looked up at her. Her eyes were as tired as her voice. Chloe knew all she needed was some sleep and a break so she relented and did as she was told. She knew what day it was already, which was partially why she insisted today of all days be the day she and Rachel went to steal the dress, something Rachel understood, and walked to the calendar hanging inside the small kitchen that was like a second home to Joyce.

The calendar itself was very plain. It had a little lighthouse on the top along with the month and few reminders written in the day blocks. On today’s date, however, had a big birthday cake drawn in purple ink with a caption that read in big bold letters

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID

Chloe glanced down and saw that it was almost Mother’s Day. She knew she would need something big to make up for today. She and Rachel might be returning to the mall sooner than she had anticipated, assuming the security guards wouldn’t shoot them on sight.

She was more worried about the woman sitting behind her than any gun, however.

When she finally turned to face her mother, she thought about pointing out that National Nut Day was coming up or that it was Domestic Violence Awareness Month or _something_ to ease the tension. But the look in her mother’s eyes sapped her usually-sarcastic spirit like a vampire drinking the life from his victim.

“All I asked for _weeks_ was you be here in time for David’s birthday. I know this is rough and the idea of me being with another man is-is-is… confusing… and difficult to cope with, but he is in my life now and he is going to be apart of it hopefully for a long time so whether or not you accept it or approve of him or us doesn’t matter. You either need to respect us and our relationship and do what I say or… shit…”

Chloe was impressed by how she had managed to say all of that in less than two breaths. The cuss at the end was like the cherry on top. Whether she wanted to admit that she was right or not didn’t matter. She would fight this to the end.

But not tonight.

“Okay.”

Surprise would be the first adjective Chloe would use to describe the flash across her mother’s face. It was only there for a second, but Chloe could see her expression change as the glow of the embers danced on her face. After the surprise was gone, she could tell that Joyce almost looked relieved that the shouting match they were both gearing up all evening for was not happening. She didn’t even _want_ to fight with her. She could scream and scream and scream at that creep with the mustache all morning, afternoon, and night if she got the chance, but she didn’t want to scream at her mother.

Not now.

“Are you and Rachel going to see each other again tomorrow?”

Chloe meekly nodded her head, knowing what was coming next.

“I… I know there’s no sense grounding you because you’ll just sneak out. Again…” The emphasis on the _again_ hit Chloe harder than she had expected it would as it resonated in her mind. “So I’ll make you a deal. You and… her… can see each other again tomorrow. But first, you need to stop by David’s house and give him the gift you were supposed to give him tonight.”

That was the exact polar opposite of what Chloe was expecting to happen. Her eyes even bulged out of their sockets a bit when she realized she wasn’t going to be punished. Sure, seeing Sergeant Shithead was punishment in its own right, but compared to being trapped in her room for a week or losing her phone, this was like a slap on the wrist if the hand doing the slapping was made of wet paper.

“Okay,” Chloe said, trying to contain her excitement at the small victory. “I’ll go around eleven. I guess I’ll meet Rachel around noon.”

Joyce nodded, her hand too weak to even lift the glass. Her whole body just looked… tired… Chloe felt sick to her stomach for making her become this way. She stared at her mother awkwardly for a few seconds, unable to bring herself to just walk away. When she finally did, her mother called out and stopped her as she was about to cut back into the hallway.

“Just do me one favor,” she said, tired as she was before. “Some people aren’t good for us, whether we see it or not. Just ask yourself if this girl is worth all the effort.”

Chloe turned and walked up the stairs.

As soon as she fell down into her bed, she took out her phone and typed out a text.

**C: i’ll meet you at school around noon. have to see major asshole and give him a gift**

**R: Be sure to spit in his creepy mustache for me.**

**C: better gift than what he deserves**

Chloe plugged her phone in and cuddled up tight under the blankets. What her mother asked before she left stayed in her mind. She thought about all the times she and Rachel had hung out together after meeting earlier this year. Every single memory only served to lengthen the smile on her face. Rachel had a sort of magnetism around her that only drew people in closer and closer. Everyone she spoke to only wanted to be able to get closer to her, even the ones who hated her. Hell, _they_ were the ones who wanted to get closer than anyone just to know what this girl was like under the mystic.

Chloe, however, was the closest of them all. This hike was going to be so worth it.


	5. Chapter Four: EXHAUST

** EXHAUST **

The small grey stone clinked along the road with every kick of her boot. The road itself was desperately in need of a patch job, the pothole the length of a tennis shoe in the center of the road a testament to that fact.

If the small town, or the district itself, could afford the overhaul the town so badly needed was a whole different issue. The town was quickly being absorbed by the Prescotts and any financial matters went through them. Much like Carnegie was to Pittsburgh or Vanderbilt was to the New York railroad industry, the Prescott family ruled the city in all but name. If anyone would be able to bankroll a street pavement, it would be them.

Chloe did her best to keep her distance from them. The heir to the family, Nathan, was the punching bag of the school. Money might buy the support of their parents, but the kids ruled campus and _nobody_ was stepping up to help this kid when the jocks decided to rain hell on him. Her rules were to never be alone with the following people: creeps, the rich, and David Madsen.

Today, she was breaking her third rule to make her mother happy.

David’s house was… modest, to say the least. By no means the smallest in town or the cheapest. The paint job was fairly recent. Same with the fence, which Chloe figured that was touched up on back in the spring or very early summer. David made sure the grass was cut short and the bushes neatly trimmed. He clearly had a thing with outside appearances. Chloe picked up on his desire to seem normal and approachable early on when her mother brought him home to meet her. He was quiet, not wanting to overstep his bounds. All it took to make her dislike him, however, was the giant caterpillar that was taking an eternal nap on his upper lip. God, how she hated that thing.

David was too busy fixing the engine on his car to notice Chloe approach him. He drove an old Dodge. Chloe could never figure out the model. Dart? Coronet? Didn’t matter. It wasn’t the worst car ever, but it was clearly getting up there in years. He’d inevitably need to reach into his come repair funds to get a new one soon.

David groaned softly and shook his head.

“Carbon deposits?” Chloe knew he was having issues with them lately.

“Yeah. Thought I got them the last time around.”

David wiped the grease onto his worn down jeans. His hands were coated in it.

“Your mother was worried sick about you last night.”

_And here we go_.

“I was out late.” Again, she knew the lie was terrible.

“With that Rachel girl?”

“She’s my friend.”

David sighed. Just hearing it made Chloe’s skin crawl and her blood boil.

“Chloe…”

“What? Are you going to tell me who I can and can’t be be friends with now?”

“No because I’m not your father. I know that and you have made that abundantly clear ever since I started dating your mother. But I know this girl from school and I know her reputation. I know what people say about her in the hallways-”

“Oh, now you’re spying on us?”

“I walk around the hallways every single day. I can hear a lot when people don’t think anyone is listening.”

“Stalker?”

David sighed heavily and cursed under his breath.

“Chloe-”

“You said it yourself. You’re not my dad,” Chloe said with pure malice. “I don’t tell you who you can hang out with when you aren’t with my mom so you don’t get to tell me who I can send my time with. Rachel is my closest friend. I’m not leaving her.”

David looked as tired as her mother did last night.

“You can do so much better than this girl.”

Chloe stayed silent.

“What happened to that Max girl your mother was talking about before?”

A flash of anger shot from her eyes and into his soul.

“Don’t.”

David immediately took the hint and backed off.

Chloe looked across the street and saw one of David’s neighbors staring from his driveway. She felt a flush of embarrassment crush her. She suddenly remembered she had the small box in her hands. She had forgotten all about why she had come here in the first place. She held the box out and prayed his greasy hands wouldn’t touch hers.

“Here.”

David took the box and studied it for a moment.

“Open it.” Chloe didn’t mean to sound as angry. She was just so mad…

Inside was a watch. David had a thing for watches, one of his many bizarre traits, and Joyce had said that he had his eye on this one for awhile. She saved up a month’s tips to be able to afford it. She begged Chloe to smile when she gave it to him at his birthday dinner.

“Did your mother pick this out?”

That stung Chloe hard.

“Yeah.”

He took it out and tried it on, barely struggling with the clasp to get it on his wrist. He held it up to the sun and let it gleam onto his face. He smiled a bit under that ridiculous diddler state at the sight of it.

“It’s very nice.”

They stood there in awkward silence for a moment.

“Alright. You can go now.”

Chloe began walking as soon as she got the go-ahead.”

“Just please think about what I said.”

_Not on your goddamn life_.

Chloe walked on without so much as stopping when he spoke. She had a hike to look forward to and Rachel was waiting. She felt her phone vibrate twice through their conversation. If it wasn’t for the reminders that she had something better to do than placating her mother by kissing her boyfriend’s ass, she might have been stuck there for much longer. She wanted to vomit at the thought of him reading her the riot act and pretending to be a father figure.

By the time she got to the school, it was almost noon. She saw Rachel sitting on the front lawn with a crowd around her. All the popular kids congregated to the front of the school to relax on days off when they weren’t busy smoking up or drinking their troubles away in the dorms.

Chloe never joined Rachel in this tradition as she didn’t care for that crowd. The newest additions to the group, Victoria Chase and Nathan Prescott, weren’t exactly her friends. Victoria got in because her older sister, who was graduating this year, wanted to groom her for a leadership role by the time she was a senior. No one knows how Nathan got in. Rumors ranged from a sympathetic senior football player inviting him so he wouldn’t be so lonely to his father paying off some guys to let him tag along and try to learn how to be around actual humans.

It took Rachel a few minutes to notice Chloe sitting on the brick wall at the edge of the campus. She gave her a warm smile before creeping to the back of the group and sneaking away. Chloe envisioned her escaping prison or something. Her reputation could be ruined if she was seen breaking away from the popular kids to hang out with the likes of Chloe Price. It was humorously suspenseful.

“Ready to go?”

Rachel dressed in simple, loose clothes for their hike. It wasn’t supposed to be a warm day or anything. The thickest piece of clothing Chloe had on was a sweatshirt she figured she would be taking off halfway through their walk.

“God yes. Let’s get out of here.”

“How was David?”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “I’ll tell you on the way.”

The trail they were going to walk on was only about a mile from the school. The park they were going to walk through was about five. Much as she hated hiking, Chloe was more than happy to spend the rest of the day with her closest friend in the world. She remembered David mentioning Max for a moment. The thought pained her. But she had Rachel now.

That’s what mattered.

The pair stopped at the convenience store on the way to the trail and picked up some big water bottles and snacks for the trip. With Rachel’s backpack stocked full of water and jerky and energy bars that tasted like brownies and cinnamon rolls, they began their great adventure that would change their world forever.

At least Chloe hoped so. She was so, so bored with life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To anyone who is reading this, I work night shifts and spend most of my days sleeping so writing is a bit tough. The first three chapters got pumped out over the course of the first day of deciding to make this. Hopefully I can start working on this more going forward as I don't have to work as many hours.


	6. Chapter Five: BETRAY

BETRAY

Arcadia Bay wasn’t the loudest town Chloe had ever been to, but the pure silence of the woods was an amazing change of pace. No cars, no radio, no loud tourists. It was just serene peace.

The walk up was as quiet as the woods itself. Chloe had spent most of their walk secretly been hoping that Rachel would break the silence. They talked for a bit about her trip to David’s house. It made Chloe feel a little better knowing s _omeone_ saw the guy for the creep he really is. But after that, they had mostly just walked.

Watching the orange and yellow leaves sway in the crisp fall breeze was relaxing. Soothing almost. A much-needed break from the trials of life that Chloe was growing increasingly sick of. Snobby classmates. An overbearing potential stepfather. Schoolwork that was only getting worse and worse as the term goes on. It was all getting too much.

Chloe kicked at a rock. It bounced down the trail for a few skips until it settled in the brush. Rachel didn’t say anything as it bounced past her boots.

Chloe couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking. She seemed like she was contemplating life even more than Chloe. Her brow was so furrowed, Chloe wondered if she could even see her watching. She had been like this for the past hour.

The silence finally began to kill her. She had to say something.

“I gotta lay off the smokes,” she said with a grin, her breath quickening. “This walk is killing me.”

“We’re almost there.” Rachel sounded so “matter-of-factly” that Chloe had to wonder out loud what she meant.

“Where are we going again?”

“A little overlook on top of the hill. We’ll be there soon.”

Rachel didn’t so much as glance back when she was talking to her. Her paced seemed to quicken. Chloe had to struggle to keep up.

To her knowledge, Chloe had never been to this overlook that they were traveling to. Hell, she hadn’t even been to this part of the woods before. She and Max had done tons of hiking when they were little, but they usually stayed in the areas close to the town and only went where their parents were comfortable taking them. She and Rachel had been walking for almost two hours now and Chloe was more than lost. They had run out of snacks and most of their water was already gone. She was quietly praying that there would be a vending machine somewhere for them to stock up on. Or at least a water fountain for them to refill their bottles with.

Another half-hour had past (Chloe obsessively checked her phone every five minutes to be sure it wasn’t just her losing perception of time) before they finally reached the summit of the hill. The climb took roughly fifteen minutes and by the time they reached the overlook, Chloe was genuinely sucking in air. She struggled to stay quiet so Rachel wouldn’t notice. Not that she ever turned to look at her. She was still staring ahead like a Terminator on the warpath.

Chloe had always loved the outdoors. Her father had taken her to some amazing places along the coastline when she was younger and their hikes through the woods were always tranquil. The view from atop the hill was no different. They had a miraculous view of a valley below them that left Chloe speechless. All the trees were changing into a hurricane of oranges and reds and yellows, but most of the leaves hadn't yet begun to fall. Their line of sight allowed them to see out into the woods for miles. If it wasn’t for the parking lot they walked through to get here, they would be totally isolated from the outside world. Chloe almost wished they were.

A few stakes and two old logs formed a small railing that kept anyone dumb enough from just tumbling off the side of the hill. Rachel stepped over it and sat down, staring off into the distance. Chloe could have sworn she heard her mumble something to herself, but she didn’t want to pry. She almost felt like she shouldn't be here. Like she was intruding on Rachel’s private time. A wave of anxiety engulfed her as she wondered what she did to piss her off.

Rachel turned and looked up at her. “You wanna sit down?”

Chloe quickly stepped over the railing and sat down, being sure to give Rachel a few feet so as to not suffocate her or anything.

“Great view, huh?” Chloe said, trying to cut the tension in the air.

“I come here a lot,” Rachel replied. “It is very beautiful.”

She continued to stare off into the valley below. She seemed lost in thought again. Chloe wondered if something had happened before she got to the school.

“Is… everything okay?”

Rachel looked at her, quizzically. “Yeah…? Why? Is something wrong?”

“Yeah, no, everything… fine. You just seem really… quiet. I guess.”

Rachel shrugged. “I’m just thinking, I guess.”

_No shit._

“Yeah, I get that,” Chloe said, again feeling like the outsider. “Sometimes I like to just wander in the woods and just think about life.”

“It’s very relaxing.”

Chloe had been on dates less awkward than this. She began to remember one from back when she was thirteen where the guy spit Mountain Dew in her face at dinner after she told a joke that she had long since forgotten. He didn’t even apologize. He just laughed louder.

_Fucking Keith._

Rachel chuckled a little to herself.

“What’s so funny?” Chloe almost said immediately after hearing the little laugh. She mentally slapped herself for seeming like a clingy ex.

“Oh, nothing. Just thought of something funny.” She continued to smile to herself, a smile that made Chloe feel a little more at ease. She had a truly beautiful smile.

“I still can believe we pinched that dress.” If there was one tactics Chloe knew would get Rachel out of whatever funk or shell she was in, it was talking about the acts of debauchery they had previously gotten into. Rachel was a very humble person, but she didn’t mind bragging about herself every once and a while if someone else brought her up.

“I can’t wait to wear it.” Rachel finally turned to look at her and smiled a genuine smile.

“You planning on wearing it to that Vortex Club Halloween dance?”

“Like those snobby assholes deserve to see me wearing something like that.”

Rachel was the undisputed leader of the Vortex Club with absolutely no competition, but she still treated it as more of an obligation than an actual group of friends. She had previously said that going to their meetings and parties was more akin to taking out the trash or doing the dishes. Mindless, monotonous work that had to be done given her social standing. It almost made Chloe happy she wasn’t popular enough to warrant an invitation. Not that she wanted to go to them or anything. If she ever went to a Vortex Club meeting, it would be more like Jane Goodall observing the apes than a teen trying to score a bong hit and free booze with her “buddies.”

“You still planning on going?”

“Unfortunately.” Rachel sighed. “Some of those people make me want to scream.”

“I can imagine.”

Rachel mindlessly kicked at the ground. “You know, sometimes I just want to run. Just be like Forrest Gump and take off and never look back.”

“Yeah, me, too.” Chloe had run away once. She was ten and was mad that her mother yelled at her so she ran away from home. She went two blocks before she decided to turn around and come back. Her mother never noticed.

“I’m serious. Like, I want to drain my bank account, hop on a Greyhound for somewhere far away, and just take off.”

This was a game Chloe could get invested in. They had played they “Where Do You Want To Run Off To” game in the past. Chloe’s dream was a little house on the beach in Maine. Someplace quiet. Rachel usually said generic things like LA or New York or Paris or Milan. Something that had to do with modeling and fashion. It was never serious, however, and Chloe could tell she was holding back her real answer.

“Okay, Forrest. Where do you wanna go?”

Rachel thought for a second, then shrugged. “I don’t know. Not here.”

“No, be serious,” Chloe egged on. “If you had a thousand bucks in your pocket and were at the bus station, where would you get a ticket to?”

Rachel scoffed. “I wouldn’t run away if I only had a thousand dollars…”

Chloe glared at her and she quickly changed her tune.

“Where would I go if I had the money for it?” She thought for a second. “Probably LA.”

“That’s what you said the last time we did this.”

“I want to be a model, Chloe,” she protested. “You know that.”

Chloe knew that was her dream, crazy as it was. It’s not like she didn’t have a chance or anything. She was beautiful and had a great figure. She could become the next big thing if things worked out for her. But there was always another pretty face who could take her spot in a field like that. She worried Rachel would get rejected and be left with nothing if no opportunities cam her way.

“LA is the goal. Unless I go to New York, I’ll never get discovered.”

“But is that your dream place? The kind of place you sit up at night wishing you could get to if you had a million dollars even though you know you’ll never be able to get there?”

“You’re making the _waaaay_ deeper than I thought it was going to be,” Rachel teased. When she saw Chloe start to glare again, she finally opened up. “You wanna know the truth?”

She hesitated for a second. Chloe didn’t dare interrupt. She had to know what she was thinking more than anything.

“Nowhere.”

Chloe looked at her, waiting for the punchline. It never came.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I don’t have dreams,” Rachel said, her voice quivering a bit. “I don’t like getting my hopes up about stuff like that. I know I’m going to be stuck in this town for the rest of my life, just like my parents and your parents and everyone else’s parents and their parents before them. I could be the most beautiful and rich person ever and I know I’m still going to be stuck here. I could run for Congress and I’d still be stuck in this city even if I get to leave for weeks at a time. What’s the point of thinking of life somewhere else when I’m always going to be here? It’s like serving a life sentence in prison. No point in dreaming of what you’d do on the other side if you’re never going _to_ the other side.”

It took Chloe a minute to process that. Rachel had never been so forthcoming with her. She was the type to bottle her emotions and hide them in the deepest corners of her mind. She was honest, sure, but never to the point where she would bare her soul to anyone, even her closest friends or family.

“But you still want to become a model…”

“I want to be a model because it would be a release. I’d be my only ticket out of here, but it would only last for so long. I know it. People gawking over me and making me feel like I’m better than I really am is all I’d be good for outside of here.” She started to tear up a a bit. “But what happens when they stop staring and forget I exist?”

“Hey, don't say that. You’re so much more than that…”

“Oh, really?” The tone of her voice stung like a bee. “I’m not a genius. I can’t get into Harvard like some of those pompous douchebags I have to smoke with every Friday night. My parents might have money, but they can’t buy me a future. I’m not Nathan. _I_ have to make my own future and that is fucking terrifying.” She began to cry.

Chloe instinctively moved over and held her close. Rachel began to cry into her shoulder, her quiet sobs seemingly echoing through the silent world around them.

“I hate sounding like a selfish asshole,” she said through her weeping. “I don’t want people to gawk over me. I just want them to care.” She began to cry even harder.

“You’re not selfish,” Chloe reassured her. “Everyone wants to be noticed. Even me.”

They sat together for what seemed like an eternity. Chloe seemed to faze out of existence. All that mattered was making sure her best friend felt safe. When she finally realized how long they had been sitting there, the sun was beginning to dip below the trees. Chloe yawned to herself and tried to think of what time it was.

“Thank you for sitting with me,” Rachel softly said, her head still pressed closed against Chloe’s shoulder. “I needed that.”

“It’s no problem. And… thank you for being honest with me.”

Rachel pulled away and smiled, dry tears staining her face. “You’re welcome.”

Before they could both rise, they saw something that Chloe hadn’t expected to see. Two people stepped out from a path cutting through the woods below. A man and a woman. She was dressed for a hike, much like Chloe and Rachel, her dark brown hair tied back in a ponytail. But the man with brown hair was in a suit, which caused Chloe to stop and stare. She couldn’t see their faces very well, they were too far away. But she could tell they were in love. They walked through the woods together, hand in hand. Their laughs echoed softly through the trees. They were completely oblivious to anyone else being around them.

“Check that guy out,” Chloe quietly said, worrying they would hear them watching if she spoke louder than a whisper.

Rachel stared at them intensely, the burning sun shining brightly on her pale face, causing her to glow. She was as focused as she had been on the walk up here.

The couple stopped under a large tree and kissed passionately.

Chloe made a gagging noise, trying to lighten the mood.

Rachel continued to stare.

As soon as the couple pulled apart and embraced each other, Rachel abruptly turned and stormed off. Chloe had to take care stepping over the railing for fear of falling down the hill. She hurried after Rachel, who was nearly breaking out into a run. Her hands were balled up into fists and she was fuming with anger.

“Rachel!”

Chloe chased her down to the parking lot. She had stopped by an old signpost and was leaning against it, defeated. Chloe gave her some space. She was so confused as to what had set her off. She seemed like she was doing much better after their talk.

“Rachel? What’s wrong?”

Rachel shook her head. “I knew it… I knew it… God, I’m such an idiot!”

“You’re not an idiot,” Chloe softly said.

“I knew it…” Her voice was quivering again. She dropped to her knees and gently punched the ground beneath her.

“Knew what?”

“That guy back there? The one in the suit?”

“Yeah?”

Rachel laughed a scornful laugh.

“He’s my dad.”

The pieces came together in Chloe’s mind.

“That’s not your mom…”

Rachel picked up a rock and threw it as hard as she could into the woods. It went so far, Chloe couldn’t hear it hitting the ground.

“We should probably be getting back soon,” Rachel announced. I need to be home in time for dinner or else my parents will kill me.”


	7. Chapter Six: GONE

GONE

Much like the forest, their walk home was in silence. Using only their phones for light as the sun went down, they walked through the pitch black trail. Chloe knew better than to try to say anything. Rachel walked with a determination fueled by hatred. Chloe dare not let her unleash that fury on her.

Chloe ended up calling her mom and said she was staying with Rachel for the night as soon as they got service. She ended up staying over with Steph. Rachel had a lot going on and asked to be alone. It hurt that Rachel didn’t want to be with her after their conversation at the overlook, but she understood. Some people just need space.

Steph didn’t mind letting Chloe crash for the night and Chloe was grateful she didn’t pry much into why she was staying over. All she said was her and her mom had a fight and that was that. She and Steph stayed up playing board games and drinking beer Steph got from one of the upperclassmen in exchange for a biology paper. When she woke up in the morning, Chloe was far too hungover from getting dehydrated on the walk. She all but ran to the bathroom to drink down handfuls of water. Steph found her lying in her bed and laughed as she gave her a bottle of water.

The day went by and nobody heard from Rachel. Chloe was tasked with delivering her homework, to the Vortex Club’s chagrin. When she delivered it to her house, Rachel’s mom, Rose, answered the door. Chloe’s heart sank when she saw her. The vision of the man in the suit kissing the strange woman played over and over in her mind. She only regretted she couldn’t see the look on his face when he cheated on this woman who had taken Chloe into her home and fed her many times since she and Rachel had become friends.

Rose said Rachel wasn’t home and took the homework.

And that was that.

Three days passed and nobody heard from Rachel. She skipped her classes (her dad called her in sick for the week) and the Vortex Club members collected her homework, sneering when they were chosen over Chloe. But for three straight days, they would return to class the next day and gossip about how Rachel wasn’t there. Chloe overheard them talking and got worried. Nobody knew where she was.

She tried to talk herself out of an incoming anxiety attack by thinking about the reality of the situation. She wouldn’t actually run away. She said so herself. It was all just a dream.

And even if she did, she would tell Chloe ahead of time.

Right?

They had talked about it before their conversation in the woods. They jokingly said they would take the other one along at gunpoint if that was what it took to go with them. Rachel wasn’t the type to lie. She wouldn’t just up and leave without Chloe. They were too close.

Right?

And her not answering the door made sense. She just didn’t want to talk to anyone. If she answered the door, people who press her. Then they’d talk about her behind her back. Rumors would swell. She’d be the talk of the school and she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. Chloe wouldn’t wish that on her worst enemy. All she had to do was stay home for another day and then she could be off for the weekend and come back on Monday. Chloe had to make sure she wouldn’t be overbearing when she first saw her again. As much as she wanted to see her, she wouldn’t be toxic and annoy her.

_Right?_

The weekend came and Chloe spent every ten minutes checking her phone.

She had considered going to her house and asking about her, but the fear of making her mad was too much. She felt like going over would be a bad idea. Something in her mind was nagging at her to stay home. She listened to the voice inside her head. It almost sounded like Rachel. She could hear her saying that she was alright and just needed space. The vision of a fight between them flooded her mind. She feared losing her only true friend more than anything.

The weekend seemed to take forever. Chloe had to make it up to her mother for skipping two dinners in a row by going with her to have dinner at David’s house. That went about as well as anyone would expect. Chloe wanted to cuss him out the whole time for talking incessantly about things like his neighbors getting into a fight and his drive up to Portland and Joyce was suffering from a migraine before they even sat down at the table. He also burnt the homemade bread on the bottom and the steak was overcooked. Chloe ended up walking home and picked up a burger from the Two Whales.

She had hoped to see Rachel while she was there. She wasn’t.

Around noon on Sunday, Chloe heard her phone vibrating back on her bed while she was doing the homework she had been neglecting for days. She lazily walked over while staring at a algebra worksheet she did not understand in the slightest, but had to do by ten tomorrow. She struggled with picking up the phone, reading the paper, and taking a quick drag from her cigarette. She fumbled with the phone a bit before she realized it was a phone call from Rachel. She almost dropped the phone when the realization hit her.

“Rachel?!”

“Hey…”

“Rachel, where are you? Everyone’s been worried sick about you.”

She heard a soft scoff from the other end of the line. “Yeah, I’m sure they were.”

Chloe sat down on the bed. “I was worried.”

“I’m… sorry.”

“No, no, don’t be sorry! I just want to know if you’re okay.”

“I’m fine. Do you mind coming over soon?”

Chloe figured she could just copy the answers from Steph before class.

“Where do you want to meet?”

“Meet me at the railroad tracks. We’re going for a walk.”

She instantly regretting having that last cigarette. She stamped it out immediately.

“Um… gotta be a little more specific than that, Rachel,” Chloe said with a small laugh. “There’s a lot of railroad tracks.”

“Yeah, um… You know what, never mind. Meet me at the lighthouse.”

“I’ll be right there. I promise.”

“Thank you.”

The line went dead. Chloe jumped up to find her shoes and get ready. Before she knew it, she was rushing out the door and yelled to her mom saying she’d be back for dinner. She hadn’t been to the old lighthouse in ages. Chloe decided it would be best if she took her truck. She really didn’t feel like walking for two hours. With a flick of the keys, she was speeding off to go find her friend.

The drive down to the lighthouse only took about twenty minutes. There was barely ever any traffic and she got greens on every light she hit. She counted her blessings that she was going so fast. Her mind began to wander to where Rachel had been or what she was doing for the past week. She had been so worried. Rachel _never_ did stuff like this.

And before she knew it, she was in a parking spot.

Chloe walked up the hill, her eyes scanning the trees for Rachel. There was no sign of her the whole way to the lighthouse. Just the silence that she had enjoyed so much back in the woods by the overlook. She began to worry that she had arrived first and Rachel was stuck walking the whole way there.

The last time she had been to the lighthouse was around a week after her dad died. She needed to get away from everyone. There was no better place in town than the old lighthouse for that. She vividly remembered sitting on the old bench and crying as the sun set over the bay. As she approached that same bench, the emotions flooded back to her that she had suppressed for so long. Sitting down on that bench felt like getting shot.

Not even ten minutes passed before she heard someone call out from behind her. Startled, she turned and saw Rachel leaning against the lighthouse with a grin plastered clear as day on her face.

“Didn’t want to offer me a ride?”

The realization that she never even thought to ask finally hit her like a ton of bricks.

“Yeah, um… sorry about that… wow, I’m an idiot.”

Rachel chuckled. “It’s okay. I was close by anyway.”

“You wanna sit down? The view is great up here.”

Rachel looked over Chloe’s head. She stared at the bay and the city behind her. Her expression changed from an ironic happiness to a genuine anger.

“I think I’ve seen it enough. Follow me. You’re driving.”

Chloe stood and hurried after her like a lost puppy that has finally been found. Rachel didn’t hold up for her. When she reached the truck, she practically jumped in the passenger’s seat. Chloe put the keys in the ignition and a loud metal sound blared over the speakers. Rachel jokingly gave Chloe a judgmental look, to which Chloe responded with a simple shrug.

“Where to?”

“You know that old junkyard,” Rachel asked. “The one on the outskirts of town?”

“American Rust? Yeah, I know it.” Chloe had scrounged there for parts for her truck on more than one occasion. No sense in paying hundreds of her (mother’s) dollars for repairs that she couldn’t just do herself.

“Go there,” Rachel ordered, sitting back.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Chloe pulled out of the lot and sped off as the music echoed through the woods.


End file.
